From two best friends to two sworn enemies: what actually sparked the Apple-Samsung controversy?
October 29, 2023
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In fact, these two companies initially had very good relations, but over time The balance changed and these two friends became fierce enemies. How did the rivalry between
In fact, these two companies initially had very good relations, but over time The balance changed and these two friends became fierce enemies. How did the rivalry between these two parties begin?
Now two companies very competitive fight Let’s see all the details.
Apple has been struggling against many of its competitors since the first day it emerged.
IBM in the 80s, Microsoft in the 90s, Google in the 2000s. However, the rivalry between Apple and Samsung is much more unique and controversial. Samsung has only been around since day one. on the laptop, tablet and smartphone market It wasn’t just competing with Apple.
Also for Apple Basic components for use in devices also delivered. For example, the iPhone screen.
So, with such a relationship between them, for what reasons did the two companies fall out?
All of us know Samsung because of the consumer electronics products they sell. But; Given the company’s history, this is a business sector that also includes phones, computers and tablets It can be considered a new development. Because Samsung started its journey with only parts production.
In the 1980s, this company’s priority was actually to supply parts (semiconductor materials), and the then general manager of Samsung, Lee Byung-chull, wondered whether he should continue this parts supplier or open up to other business ideas . He had several meetings with Steve Jobs to exchange ideas.
Meanwhile, Samsung had decided to take action toward a new chip factory, and the relationship between the two was quite friendly.
Apple remains Samsung’s largest customer, supplying millions of dollars worth of electronic components. But this cooperative relationship between Apple and Samsung Of course it didn’t last forever.
Samsung’s CEO visited Apple’s headquarters before the first iPhone was announced in 2007 and Steve Jobs Explained to him how iPhone technology works. The fears came true and Samsung applied this technology to its own products.
Just 2 years after this happened, Samsung released its smartphone Galaxy, which runs on Google’s Android operating system.
Jobs further claimed that Android was a stolen product He called Samsung a copycat. Moreover, at this point, Samsung ceased to be Apple’s ally and became an enemy of Apple, and in 2011 a long legal battle between the two companies began.
Apple even sold Samsung its smartphones and tablets in 2010. He previously said that Apple is violating its patents and since the two companies had a partnership, Apple was willing to make a deal on this.
Apple offered a deal where it would pay Samsung $40 per tablet and $30 per phone, but Samsung declined. He rejected this offer, claiming that his products did not infringe any patents.
Unable to reach a compromise after a year, Apple did not hesitate to file a lawsuit.
Apple’s defense in the file was as follows: “Instead of continuing with independent product development, Samsung used Apple’s different interfaces, innovative technology, and original product and packaging design. He chose to copy blindly and thereby violate Apple’s intellectual property rights.“
Did Samsung really imitate the iPhone? If you consider the design and technology of Samsung products before and after the iPhone, you can see that Samsung has benefited greatly from the innovations of the iPhone.
Apple has filed a total of 16 different claims against Samsung, but 3 of them are drawing attention.
Trade Infringement, Trademark Infringement and Design Patent Infringement. The first of these, trade dress, is the visual appearance that represents the source of a product or its packaging.
For example, the first iMac was imitated by an American company called eMachines with a product called eOne, which There was no doubt that it was a copy of the hugely popular iMac. However, Apple was not very successful in the lawsuit it filed against the company for ‘trade dress’.
Since Apple has faced such a case for the iMac in the past, It is also produced by Samsung for various devices such as iPhone and iPad. He claimed he had been subjected to the same impersonation.
On the issue of trademark infringement, while Samsung could claim that the similarity in hardware design was coincidental, it could not confidently defend the similarities in software elements such as icons.
Of course, there are dozens or even thousands of ways to design an icon, but Samsung In this regard, it opted for the same visuals as Apple. Design patent infringement also included the layout of the home screen icons, the form factor of the iPhone case, and the screen and button design.
In summary, when all these elements are brought together; branding, let’s design and hardware designs Striking claims were made about the
So how did the court decide all these charges?
Juries decided in Apple’s favor; Samsung for its transgressions Pay $1 billion in damages to Apple and ordered them not to do this on their future products. But this court decision was not the end of the story.
Samsung appealed the decision and filed a lawsuit against Apple. He claimed that the products did not infringe on his patents. The disputes that followed during this legal process dragged on for years, involving both parties While it made some gains, it also suffered some losses.
Apple managed to ban Samsung’s Galaxy Tab series in Germany, forcing Samsung to redesign the device.
But Samsung wasn’t always to blame in this dispute. Apple; AT&T was found guilty of infringing Samsung’s cellular data patent with the iPhone 4, 3GS and 3G, as well as the original iPad and iPad 2 models with 3G data radios.
Such a crime is committed by Apple in the US. AT&T models of some iPhones and iPads are no longer sold but the White House vetoed this decision.
Ultimately, this seven-year war ended in June 2018, when Apple and Samsung reached a compromise on an agreement whose contents were unclear. Although it is not known what the agreement is about, this is a difficult process It was clear that this was detrimental to both parties.
But Apple clearly saw this legal battle as a victory in a statement it released.
“We believe deeply in the value of design and our teams work tirelessly to create innovative products that delight our customers. This case has always been about more than just money. Apple sparked the smartphone revolution with the iPhone and The fact is that Samsung clearly copied our design.
It’s important that we continue to protect the hard work and innovation of so many people at Apple. “We are grateful to the jury for their service and are pleased that they agree that Samsung should pay for copying our products.” Samsung, on the other hand, has not chosen to speak out on the issue.
After this long and controversial seven-year process, it may seem as if Apple and Samsung are now two different companies that have nothing to do with each other, but that is not the case.
Samsung continues to supply Apple with key components for its most popular products. For example, the OLED screen of all iPhone 15 series models is produced by Samsung and Samsung, It is the only manufacturer from which Apple orders OLED panels.
Actually, Apple’s plan is; The plan was to supply panels from the Chinese BOE in addition to Samsung, but as with the previous series of the iPhone, BOE could not meet Apple’s quality standards and therefore Apple was completely dependent on Samsung.
In short, while Apple trusts Samsung to provide a variety of high-quality components that can be mass-produced, Samsung also has full confidence that Apple will purchase the components produced by the company.
In other words, if both companies are damaged or destroyed, the other will clearly reach the same point. It means. There may be several collaborations between Apple and Samsung in the future.
Although they often compete with each other, in some ways they are These two companies are pregnant with each other What do you think about it?
Sources:Technical Inspection, Investopedia, Research Gate, Apple Explained
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Alice Smith is a seasoned journalist and writer for Div Bracket. She has a keen sense of what’s important and is always on top of the latest trends. Alice provides in-depth coverage of the most talked-about news stories, delivering insightful and thought-provoking articles that keep her readers informed and engaged.